FATAL ELEVATOR ACCIDENTS AT SEA, IN NYC
Authorities are investigating a series of fatal elevator accidents that occurred in the waning days of 2015, one aboard a Caribbean cruise ship and two in New York City (NYC) apartment buildings. On December 27, a cruise ship employee died while working on an elevator on a ship, various news agencies, including CNN, report. The ship was returning to Miami from a three-day Caribbean cruise. In NYC, an 81-year-old tenant of a NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) building succumbed to injuries he sustained on Christmas Day when he tripped and fell in a unit that was not level with the floor, NY Daily News reports. The NYCHA is now considering installing suspension-rope arresters in its more than 3,000 elevators to help prevent such accidents. Also in NYC, a 25-year-old man lost his life as a result of becoming crushed by an apartment building elevator that starting moving after being stuck, aol.com reports.
CONSTRUCTION FORGES AHEAD ON MILWAUKEE OFFICE TOWER
Construction is forging ahead on Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.'s US$450-million, 32-story office tower in downtown Milwaukee, BizTimes reports. Northwestern Mutual projects the building's atrium to be wrapped in glass in early 2016, and the structure to top out during the first half of the year. The 1.1-million-sq.-ft. building is scheduled to open in 2017. Approximately 500 workers are currently on site, and that is expected to ramp up as completion nears.
QUEENS EYED FOR APARTMENT HIGH RISE
Artimus Construction is eyeing 147-20 94th Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens, New York City, for a 26-story apartment building with ground-level parking, New York YIMBY reports. The primarily industrial area has been coming to life with several hotels, such as a 27-story Hilton Garden Inn, in the works. Jamaica boasts easy access to Manhattan via trains and to John F. Kennedy International Airport via AirTran. Designed by GF55 Partners, the building would include approximately 380 residential rental units, 20% of which would be “affordable.”
http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/january-5-2016
